Larry Lucchino ‘surprised’ by Curt Schilling’s remarks

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Red Sox team president Larry Lucchino said Thursday he was “surprised” by news that ex-Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling claimed that “former members of the organization” presented him with the option of using performance-enhancing drugs as a way to overcome the shoulder injury that ended his career.

Schilling told ESPN Radio on Wednesday that the incident occurred in the clubhouse during the 2008 season.

“Certainly is something to look into, but it came from out of left field, to use a baseball cliché,” Lucchino told reporters at a Jimmy Fund event in Boston.

Schilling, who works as an ESPN analyst, has so far not responded to a request to be further interviewed. But he responded to a Twitter user who asked why he wouldn’t expose somebody who suggested he use drugs banned by Major League Baseball.

“Because outing the person would not do anything for anyone. It wasn’t anyone in uniform, nor the baseball ops group,” Schilling wrote.

According to Red Sox officials, Schilling did not report the incident to them at the time.

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, the Red Sox general manager in 2008, could not be reached for comment.

Schilling signed a one-year, $8 million contract before the 2008 season and passed a physical. But he never pitched because of a torn rotator cuff and biceps injury.

There was a dispute at the time about what course of action to take. Dr. Thomas Gill, the Red Sox medical director at the time, advised a course of rest and rehabilitation. Dr. Craig Morgan, who had twice previously operated on Schilling’s shoulder, suggested another surgery.

A third party, Mets team physician Dr. David Altchek, agreed with Gill. Because Schilling was 41, the thought was that surgery would mean the end of his career.

After trying the team approach for nearly five months, Schilling had surgery in June and it did end his career. The righthander announced his retirement on March 24, 2009.